the best ever, ever, ever...

Neil Lennon might not be writing off the feeble challenge of Eck and the Easybeats having opened up the slenderest of 17 point leads going into December , but just about everybody else is.

Yet, while the shenanigans at Mordor - as the team officially blunders its way into the record books as the worst ever to represent the Orcs and David Murray continues to be a slippery as an eel convention - are proving to be more entertaining than a Krankies pantomime, it's important that Celtic continue to stay focused on the task ahead and demonstrate the resolve necessary to continue to pick up three points every week now that Hearts and Hibs and beginning to show early signs of wear an tear.

Say what you like about MON's teams but they produced a consistency of performance we haven't seen since the days of Jock Stein. Strachan's side have shown that they are capable of brilliant football at times, but until they have maintained a winning record over a longer period of consecutive games there will be that slight feeling of unease that settled over us after the uncharacteristic blip that was the Dunfermline game at Celtic Park.

Is this a team whose foundations are built on sand or are we made of sterner stuff? Were we about to fall into a run of form more in keeping with the first two weeks of the season rather than the last nine weeks?

Hardly any reflection was required after the Pars mishap to reach a consensus regarding the glaring weaknesses in the team that day; injuries to first choice picks had necessitated a return to the Old Guard. Let's just be kind and say that there won't be too many fans clamouring to get Maloney and company shifted out the team to make room for them in the months ahead.

Watching the Hoops batter away at a defence which was fighting it out with Livingston to see who was the leakiest in our leaky old league was definitely a premature apparition of the Ghost of Christmas Past. Alan Thompson in particular is one player who has the look of an old pro being upstaged by a whippersnapper. You get the impression that he doesn't relish it and can't do much about it. What a pity if his excellent Celtic career were to be remembered for this season's displays rather than what he has so memorably contributed to some of most glorious moments during the last five years.

Whereas last season the likes of Maloney and Beattie were champing at the bit to get on for ten minutes against the SPL's bottom feeders, this season they have become the players we look to to provide the enthusiasm and the skill to outwit Hammer Throwers Inc.

This is the future, and, along with the Japanese Bhoy, by gum you miss them when they're not playing. Thankfully WGS showed some of the Right Stuff by dropping those who had to be dropped the following week at Pittodrie, always a potentially troublesome venue, even when Aberdeen are as poor as they are. It was the perfect response to the previous weekend's dismal showing and restored the nerves somewhat.

The Hoops simply must keep on recording these kinds of victories, week in and week out. Apart from seemingly being able to fix team matters in the short term, it's also encouraging to hear plenty of rumours doing the rounds about future activity in the transfer market, particularly concerning the Walfrid's 'in' door.

Most of it will turn out to be wind, of course, but WGS gives you the distinct impression that he is actively doing some strategic planning. A big wedge of cash would help all this planning, of course, which is but one more reason why a spot in next season's Champions League is a necessity.

MARMADUKE BAGLEHOLE